The Bruins have traded Matt Hunwick to the Avalanche in exchange for Boston University product Colby Cohen. The move gets Hunwick’s $1.45 million salary off the books, as Cohen will report to Providence. Here is the press release:

BOSTON, MA – Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced today that Boston has acquired defenseman Colby Cohen from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for defenseman Matt Hunwick. Cohen will report to
Boston’s minor league affiliate in Providence (American Hockey League).

The 21-year-old Cohen made his NHL debut earlier this season for the Avalanche on November 6 and has skated in three games for the Avs this year. He also registered one goal and 12 penalty minutes in 14 games for Colorado’s minor league affiliate in Lake Erie this season. 2010-11 marks Cohen’s first full professional season after playing three games for Lake Erie at the end of last year.

Cohen skated at Boston University for three seasons from 2007-10 and helped lead the Terriers to the NCAA National Championship in 2009. For his career at BU, the 6’2’’, 200-pound blueliner recorded 25-53=78 totals in 118 games.

A native of Villanova, Pennsylvania, Cohen was originally drafted by the Avalanche in the second round (45th overall) of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

Hunwick has appeared in 164 career NHL games (all with the Bruins) and tallied 13-32=45 totals. This season, Hunwick skated in 22 games and registered one goal, two assists and nine penalty minutes. The Warren, Michigan native played 163 games over four seasons at the University of Michigan from 2003-07 with 24-73=97 totals. Hunwick was drafted by the Bruins in the seventh round (224th overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.